The report first appeared this morning on Chengdu's Huaxi Metropolitan Daily (華西都市報) and has since been carried in other media, including the People's Daily website.

Han was absent from several CFG events last year. Increased speculations about his departure began early this year, though the news was never made official by CFG. This is the first confirmation from Han himself.

Han has been deputy chairman of China Film Group since 1999. He was promoted as chairman in 2007, when CFG established a film production unit. Since then, Han has been a major figure in pushing the rapid expansion of the Chinese film industry.

Sources told Huaxi that the official reason for Han's departure is that he has reached the official retirement age of 60. Han told Huaxi's reporter than he will continue working in the film industry after taking a break.

The same source also told Huaxi that Han has handed his duties to CFG deputy chairman LA Peikang 喇培康 and vice chairman JIAO Hongfen 焦紅奮, though no announcement has been made.